Coles has appointed Robert Hadler as GM corporate affairs, replacing Scott Whiffin, who left the company last year following Wesfarmers acquisition of the retailer.

Coles has retained a media relations team since Whiffin left but will have Hadler take up the senior management role on February 16th.

Hadler is expected to play a key role in government and investor relations as well as media communications.

Ian McLeod, Coles MD, said the company was delighted to have Hadler join the team given his depth of experience and expertise in managing corporate affairs functions for companies undergoing major change.

Hadler is a highly experienced corporate affairs practitioner, having worked in a number of senior roles with
major Australian companies over more than a decade.

He joins Coles from AWB Limited where he has worked as GM corporate affairs since 2006. Previously, he headed the corporate affairs functions at National Australia Bank and Goodman Fielder.

Hadler also has had an extensive background in public policy, government relations and media, including positions as deputy director of National Farmers Federation, government relations manager for the ANZ Bank and policy adviser in the Prime Minister's Department.

He was an economics writer for The Australian for five years and served for a period as the newspaper's London correspondent.

McLeod said Hadler's appointment reflected the high priority he had placed on maintaining and enhancing effective and timely communications to all of the company's stakeholders as the turnaround of Coles proceeds.

"Rob's background and abilities will contribute significantly to both the executive team and the business as a whole and play an integral role in co-ordinating and advancing our total communications effort," McLeod said.